A former Chemainus resident is putting out the call for high school students to take part in a unique project, with special interest in seeing some entries from her old stomping grounds of Chemainus and Crofton students attending Chemainus Secondary School.
Shelagh Armour-Godbolt is a volunteer with the Kenya Education Endowment Fund, a B.C.-based educational charity, that’s issuing an invitation for B.C. middle and high school students and home learners to enter a Virtual Cycling Tour Challenge.
“One of our enthusiastic volunteers planned to cycle from the northern to the southern tip of South America this summer,” explained Armour-Godbolt. “A trip of 5 1/2 months through six countries - Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina - has now been cancelled due to COVID-19 precautions.”
So KEEF went to Plan B and came up with an interesting idea.
“So we are inviting students to choose one of the six countries Brenda Trenholme would have visited and do some research, creating a plan - maximum 450 words - of a virtual cycling route through the chosen country and what they might encounter there. Entries to be sent to a regional KEEF volunteer’s email address by May 31st.”
KEEF will randomly select one entry from a middle school level and one from a high school level student in each of six regions of B.C. after May 31. The students will be celebrated in local and social media while a KEEF supporter will make a gift in honour of the 12 selected students to assist another poor Kenyan to attend high school there.
KEEF sends very poor, bright students to high school in Kenya where it is not free.
Students, parents, teachers and other interested persons can receive the entry details, consent forms and email address for their region by emailing shelaghag@shaw.ca. The application form is also now available in French.
Entries are limited to one per learner to be submitted by midnight May 31, 2020. Consent of a parent or guardian, as well as of the learner, is needed for submissions by those under 16 years of age.
KEEF volunteers believe B.C. students will find this Virtual Cycling Tour Challenge an interesting and enjoyable activity, as well as giving them a way to help create support for a disadvantaged student in Kenya.
More information about the work of KEEF can be found at www.kenyaeducation.org, by email at shelaghag@shaw.ca or contact KEEF at c/o #904 – 2135 Argyle Ave., West Vancouver, B.C. V7V 1A5.
Armour-Godbolt and other KEEF volunteers are looking forward to reviewing some interesting and creative plans for the virtual challenge.
